Class of 2015 Punter Sterling Hofrichter(FL) Signed LOI

[LeMoyneCuse]

Any time you can get your #1 target at a position, it is reason to be pleased. Losing Dixon, Krautman and Norton completely strips special teams of all experiences placekickers and punters, so he will have some pressure on him, but I think he will be up to the task.

Has really good form and one of the most powerful legs I have seen in a while. Just hope he will stay healthy here. Hope the rugby player stays around as a backup...if not, I am sure the staff will bring in someone as a preferred walk-on to provide some depth just in case.

K/P Evan Jacubowski out of Chicago will be joining the team as a walk-on this fall. http://www.syracuse.com/orangefootb...punterkicker_evan_jakubowski_to_2014_cla.html

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Dixon still has eligibility left for 2015, unless he's planning on graduating after this season.

Norton will be a 4th year Senior in 2015.

From the P-S: If Hofrichter keeps his verbal pledge and signs his letter of intent in February, he'll join an Orange team with turnover coming in the kicking unit. Kicker Ross Krautman, who was granted a fifth year of eligibility, will be gone, while kicker Ryan Norton and punter Riley Dixon will be entering their final seasons.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Dixon still has eligibility left for 2015, unless he's planning on graduating after this season.

Norton will be a 4th year Senior in 2015.

From the P-S: If Hofrichter keeps his verbal pledge and signs his letter of intent in February, he'll join an Orange team with turnover coming in the kicking unit. Kicker Ross Krautman, who was granted a fifth year of eligibility, will be gone, while kicker Ryan Norton and punter Riley Dixon will be entering their final seasons.

So they want him to be ready to contribute, but no guarantees of playing time. Got it.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

So they want him to be ready to contribute, but no guarantees of playing time. Got it.

Who knows if Norton will last the year. Those Bud Light Tallboys aren't going to drink themselves.

 

[anomander]

Who knows if Norton will last the year. Those Bud Light Tallboys aren't going to drink themselves.

My guess is they will get rid of Norton first chance we get. Kids been given too many chances.

 

[Frozen]

My guess is they will get rid of Norton first chance we get. Kids been given too many chances.

What problems has he had other than the running away from the cops thing?

 

[anomander]

What problems has he had other than the running away from the cops thing?

He was suspended during Spring pracitces for another pretty horrible ' up involving drinking.

 

[Frozen]

He was suspended during Spring pracitces for another pretty horrible ' up involving drinking.

Oh, well that's not good.

 

[CaliCuse]

My guess is they will get rid of Norton first chance we get. Kids been given too many chances.

I believe we have a preferred walk-on coming in as well but I'm not sure if its this season or next but I agree Norton will have a very short string if he hasn't hung himself already in the coaches' mins

 

[CuseLegacy]

It would be nice if this leads to an in with Armwood. Armwood is one of the better programs in the Tampa area.

• 
  
  10:56 AM - 27 Jun 2014
  Armwood Football‏@Armwood_Hawks 1h
  Congratulations to @shofrichter10 on his commitment to Syracuse! #goorangemen pic.twitter.com/FxMvq3OhMZ

 

[rrlbees]

My guess is they will get rid of Norton first chance we get. Kids been given too many chances.

I think he's already off the team. One of his latest escapades got him hurt also I believe.

 

[anomander]

I think he's already off the team. One of his latest escapades got him hurt also I believe.

Wow. I wonder if this was a separate incident then what got him suspended because that was pretty awful to begin with. We are better off without him. I know many questioned his heart besides his other issues.

 

[rrlbees]

Wow. I wonder if this was a separate incident then what got him suspended because that was pretty awful to begin with. We are better off without him. I know many questioned his heart besides his other issues.

I think there were 2 incidents.

 

[SmilinBob]

The long snapper...you never want to hear his name and the kicker is the finish to a great meal or food poisoning. I always like a good meal and let's hope Sterling is a heck of a chef. Welcome to the Hill Mr. Hofrichter.

 

[JoeSU]

I have never been so excited to see a commitment from a punter/kicker.

IMO the average fan greatly underestimates the importance of the kicking game. In terms of field position, a good punter is worth 50-100 yds of "defense" in a game, and can provide a huge momentum swing. A FG will usually outright win 1-2 games a year, and indirectly influence the outcome of another 1-2 games (a good example is Norton's 44 yd FG with 5:00 left against BC, which put us in a position to win at the end and turned out to be the margin of victory). Conversely, a missed FG or XP early in the game can loom large as the game progresses (Last year's Pitt game is probably not the best example because the XP was blocked due to a failed blocking assignment), but those missed kicks have a way of coming back to haunt you.

 

[SmilinBob]

Special teams blocking flaws in the 2 Rutger losses and Pitt loss were huge.

 

[CaliCuse]

My guess is they will get rid of Norton first chance we get. Kids been given too many chances.

I just read an interesting take on Norton. He is a kid in college and had a drink before the legal age. He isn't effn OJ Its almost a rite of passage.As long as he wasn't driving I'm not that upset. So none of you did that? Yeah,sure and I'm going to jog around the block here in Santa Clarita.

 

[CaliCuse]

IMO the average fan greatly underestimates the importance of the kicking game. In terms of field position, a good punter is worth 50-100 yds of "defense" in a game, and can provide a huge momentum swing. A FG will usually outright win 1-2 games a year, and indirectly influence the outcome of another 1-2 games (a good example is Norton's 44 yd FG with 5:00 left against BC, which put us in a position to win at the end and turned out to be the margin of victory). Conversely, a missed FG or XP early in the game can loom large as the game progresses (Last year's Pitt game is probably not the best example because the XP was blocked due to a failed blocking assignment), but those missed kicks have a way of coming back to haunt you.

A blocked XP or fg is usually due to a lineman's failure to get low and keep the defender defending low and stationary.

 

[kcsu]

This is as important a recruit as we will sign this year. Huge get. The kid controls a third of the game not in time but in importance.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

I just read an interesting take on Norton. He is a kid in college and had a drink before the legal age. He isn't effn OJ Its almost a rite of passage.As long as he wasn't driving I'm not that upset. So none of you did that? Yeah,sure and I'm going to jog around the block here in Santa Clarita.

There's been other incidents.

 

[bnoro]

I just read an interesting take on Norton. He is a kid in college and had a drink before the legal age. He isn't effn OJ Its almost a rite of passage.As long as he wasn't driving I'm not that upset. So none of you did that? Yeah,sure and I'm going to jog around the block here in Santa Clarita.

He didn't just "have a drink before the legal age". He's not the type of character that Shafer wants in the program.

 

[CaliCuse]

He didn't just "have a drink before the legal age". He's not the type of character that Shafer wants in the program.

I I really love what Shafer is doing for the program but being that judgmental on a kid who isn't wearing a collar after being ordained is over the top. It seems a bit too common for many here to "throw the first stone".

 

[RF2044]

Welcome aboard, Sterling!

There was a time when we had elite kicking in this program. I remember when we were setting records for consecutive XPs, we had several placekickers getting drafted into the NFL, etc.

It would be nice to get back to those days, where special teams is elite and a tremendous asset to the program on game day.

 

[TheCusian]

I I really love what Shafer is doing for the program but being that judgmental on a kid who isn't wearing a collar after being ordained is over the top. It seems a bit too common for many here to "throw the first stone".

I don't think you or I know the full story. I'll reserve judgement either way.

 

[MSOrange]

Welcome aboard, Sterling!

There was a time when we had elite kicking in this program. I remember when we were setting records for consecutive XPs, we had several placekickers getting drafted into the NFL, etc.

It would be nice to get back to those days, where special teams is elite and a tremendous asset to the program on game day.

I agree totally. It seems like in a dome environment, it's not unreasonable to expect to get to the point where I'm not holding my breath with field goals under 40 yards and extra points should always be gimmes.